


Nobody’s Wayfinder

by Rose_of_Wolves



Series: How to Feel [2]
Category: Kingdom Hearts (Video Games)
Genre: Cannon Divergence, Direct Sequel to A Heartless Instinct, Heartless Sora (Kingdom Hearts), Nobody Riku, Riku goes on a journey, This fic takes place between Kingdom Hearts II and Dream Drop Distance, where Anti-Sora stole Riku’s Heart
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-06-28
Updated: 2020-11-20
Packaged: 2021-03-03 20:34:47
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 13,852
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24941653
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Rose_of_Wolves/pseuds/Rose_of_Wolves
Summary: After the events of A Heartless Instinct, Riku wakes up to feel... nothing.****Yen Sid however, didn’t react but for a slow closing of his eyes, the only indicator of any sort of inner turmoil.“There is no gentle way to say this.” The master stated. “Though as you are now, I suspect it will not matter.” A pause, and after a moment, the wizard reopened his eyes, and looked directly at the young charge before him. “Riku, you’re Heart has been stolen by the Heartless.”King Mickey flinched from the harsh bluntness, yet Riku did not.“You do not seem surprised.” The elder commented.“…no. I guess I’m not.”****And so his journey begins, as Riku travels through the worlds to track down wherever Anti-Sora went and reclaim his stolen Heart!
Relationships: Riku & Sora (Kingdom Hearts)
Series: How to Feel [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1805164
Comments: 21
Kudos: 34





	1. Mysterious Tower

**Author's Note:**

> So, I left the ending of my last fic a bit ambiguous on purpose because I thought it was more interesting that way, but also with the implication that Anti-Sora returns Riku’s Heart. But then I thought ‘What if he didn’t!?’ And LOVED the idea! Thus a Nobody Riku based multi-chaptered fic is born! Enjoy!!

“…—iku…”

Muffled voices. He couldn’t… tell. What were they saying?

“riku…!”

King Mickey? Where…where is…? Wait… he’s been here before. Hasn’t he? This place, he remembers, it’s of no light, and no dark. The grey between. A realm of safety within dreams, if one only stays asleep. He… could fade away here.

“…wake up… _!_ ”

Right, he woke up the last time. He’d been given a choice; stay within the comfort of sleep, or face the painful truth of the waking world. He chose to wake, back then, but… he doesn’t, really, want to do that, again. 

“Riku please, _please wake up!!_ ”

That’s Mickey’s voice. He hears Mickey’s voice, asking to… wake up? He doesn’t remember ever closing his eyes. Why…when…?

…and why should he open them...

Someone is crying. Sobbing. He can hear them. King Mickey? The King’s his friend. If he’s asking then shouldn’t he… 

It’s not that he _wants_ to stay asleep.

He just, doesn’t want _anything._

“RIKU!!” 

That doesn’t matter now, he needs to wake up. Now. Mickey’s really upset. He needs to… 

_**~:Wake up!:~**_

* * *

  


Silver brows twitched, and dark eyelashes fluttered, slowly. The waking world was harsh, swimming around him like water-paints even as his eyes had yet to open. When they finally did though, it was to reveal a pair of dark, zaffre-blue orbs adjusting to the piercing lights. The pupils constricted to pinpricks, painfully fast against the sudden brightness, but the boy didn’t even flinch. It was like he didn’t feel the pain at all.

His head buzzed an empty kind of static however, even as a sort of numbness pervaded the rest of his body—an empty, hollow, floating-in-air kind of nothingness. All except for a burning touch on his shoulder, one that was slowly searing into his skin. Hot, hotter, burning, _scorching._

“Let go!!” Riku screamed!

Thrashing violently in his panic, the boy threw the paining thing away from himself, and hard. It hurled through the air, its oversized ears crashing into the bookshelves and small black body smacking into the floor, landing with a heavy squeak.

“…Mickey…?” Riku gasped, his strange dark-blue eyes going wide. “Your Majesty!” Hurriedly he pushed himself up, reaching out, but only to topple strait out of the bed. Blankets and pillows followed his fall, but he quickly managed to disentangle himself and rushed to his friend. “Your Majesty, are you okay? I’m so sorry!”

“Gosh, Riku.” Laughed a soft spoken voice, one soothing and familiar. “I told you before that you don’t have to call me that.”

Riku snapped shut his mouth, watching as the mouse-majesty gracefully hopped to his feet and dusted himself off. Mickey was fine, acting as his usual self. That should’ve been enough to feel glad about, or at the very least relieved that he hadn’t accidentally hurt his friend. 

…but he didn’t feel _anything._

“Riku? Are you alright?”

An over-large, white-gloved hand slowly reached for him, but at the softest of touch, the boy violently flinched away. The King’s inner Light, _burned._

“Am I okay?” Riku didn’t know. Things weren’t making sense. Shaking his head, he tried to figure what was going on with himself. “I—just tossed you into a wall. I should be asking you that.”

“I…” Mickey hesitated, reaching out for him again. “I’m fine.”

It was no doubt meant to be reassuring, but Riku sharply batted the hand away. Blatant hurt crossed his friend’s face, but Riku couldn’t bring himself to care. He’d rather _anything,_ then the burning pain of touch.

Conflicted and concerned, the mouse instead dropped his hand to his side, and didn’t try to reach out again.

“I’m so glad you woke up.” The King continued, forcing his muzzle to pull into a tight smile. “Master Yen Sid was worried you wouldn’t, after what happened to you.”

“…and what happened to me?”

Silence. The mouse, nervously, shifted on his feet.

“Heh-huh, you, ah-, you don’t remember?”

That was just it though. He did remember. He remembered the Heartless. He remembered Sora. He remembered a Nightmare. What he _couldn’t_ remember, was if any of it was real.

“Maybe,” and once again the King hesitated. That wasn’t like him, at all. “You should get some more rest, Riku. I promise, Master Yen Sid and I will answer all your questions once you wake.”

“I’m not tired.” Besides, he’d slept long enough. Right now, he needed answers. 

With that, Riku forced himself up from where he’d been kneeling on the floor. Only, his vision was suddenly swimming around him. Bracing a hand against the bookshelf for balance, he slowly tried to refocus his eyes. He hadn’t lied, he really didn’t feel tired. So he was sure he’d be fine, if the room would just stop spinning.

“Well, Riku,” Mickey wearily spoke, moving as though to help stabilize the clearly disoriented boy, but refrained at the last moment from actually touching him. “If you’re really up to it, Master Yen Sid is in his study waiting for you.”

Nodding only slightly, Riku willed the dizziness away and eventually found his bearings. He pushed open the door, and then bulked at the sight of stairs. To his right the grey stone steps went down. To his left, they went up, and up, until they curved their way around the bend and out of sight, where he knew they spiraled around, and around, and around. 

The boy softly banged his head against the wall. Of course, he was in the Mysterious Tower. 

‘Probably should’ve already known that.’ He mused as he began the daunting task of climbing his way up. At least his room had been placed from the middle of the spire, and thus he wasn’t starting the long trek from the very bottom. Small favors.

“Heh…” 

Riku glanced down, watching as his waist-high companion sheepishly smiled up at him.

“I never liked these stairs either.” Mickey confessed. “They made doing my chores a real hassle back in the day. But it’s better to just climb them, trust me.”

Riku sensed a story behind the anecdote, a good one too, something he could ask after and they’d talk and laugh at the ridiculousness of it. Mickey would no doubt love to tell him all about it.

He didn’t ask. He didn’t care.

Wait… was that, really right? Riku furrowed his brow, confused. Had he always been so callous? 

Finally reaching the very top, a pair of large and elaborate doors had been left open for them. Within, the master Yen Sid waited for them. The elderly wizard had his hands folded in front of his face, elbows resting on the ancient wood of his desk, and cold pinprick eyes glaring over at them. 

However, strangely undaunted by the steel-faced master, Riku stood before him and bowed his respect.

“You wished to see me, Master?” The boy inquired, as polite as he knew how to be.

The elder however, didn’t move but for a slow closing of his eyes, the only indicator of any sort of inner turmoil.

“There is no gentle way to say this, though as you are now, I suspect it will not matter.” A pause, and after a moment, the wizard reopened his eyes, and looked directly at the young charge before him. “Riku, you’re Heart has been stolen by the Heartless.”

Mickey flinched at the harsh bluntness. Riku did not.

“You do not seem surprised.” The elder commented.

“…no. I guess I’m not.”

At this the wizard leaned back into his chair, absently stroking his greyed beard in contemplation. Silence reigned amongst the study, but it apparently wasn’t one that Mickey could bear.

“Riku, you knew?” His voice was quiet, careful.

“I don’t… know. Maybe.” The boy shrugged, and looked away, Feeling _nothing._ How hadn’t he connected something that just seemed, kind of obvious now.

Mickey bit his lip, and his brows furrowed in perplexed worry. Yen Sid however, solemnly nodded, as though he had expected such an admittance.

“Perhaps,” the old wizard mused. “You’ve already noticed the symptoms of your condition.”

Riku wasn’t inclined to respond to that, however, Mickey _was_. White-gloved fists clenching at his sides, the mouse demanded.

“What do you mean?”

“You know very well, King Mickey, as do you, Riku, that those who’ve lost their Hearts are incapable of feeling—.”

“That is not true!!” Mickey didn’t even let the master finish. Outraged, the mouse had slammed his hands onto the wizard’s desk, leaning himself over it even as his short legs scrambled to purchase themselves, all so he could glower in the elder’s face. It was an unreasonable anger, his Majesty refusing to accept what he should’ve already known, but still. “Riku is not like those monsters! He’s-”

“Enough, Mickey.” Riku scolded, calm and quiet, and the King turned, shocked.

“But—!”

“What you want doesn’t matter. Doesn’t change what’s true.” Riku crossed his arms, defiant even as he condemned himself. “I don’t feel, and I don’t care.” 

_‘Though I know I should.’_ He didn’t say.

Mickey recoiled as though slapped in the face. Staring wide-eyed, he dropped from the desk, unable to help the tears from welling up. What Riku was saying couldn’t be true, because he _knew_ Riku. His dear friend was so much stronger than to just accept such a fate.

Yet the boy refused to look at him, and instead kept his gaze locked on Master Yen Sid. 

“My Heart’s been taken, so what, I know who took it. Tell me how I got here.” Riku demanded. “Last I checked, the Tower was quite a ways away from Traverse Town.”

“Traverse Town?” The King questioned in a murmur, but Riku was ignoring him.

The ancient wizard though, retired he may be, was like an unyielding stone within an angry storm. He calmly regarded the child who had become so tragically apathetic and stone eyed. He recalled before, of meeting a compassionate youth; one desperate for proper guidance, and who struggled to cope with the consequences begotten from his young naivety and foolishness. Yet regardless of those who had manipulated him to harm, the boy had found a path of his own making unlike any before him. Now however, that same stubborn child stood as a cold, empty shell of himself, and that pained the old Master greatly. Still, answers were deserved.

“Twas King Mickey who stumbled upon you.” The Master began, monotone and unflinching. “He brought you here, unconscious and barely clinging to your form.”

The mentioned King furtively blinked back the moisture in his eyes, against the flashbacks of not twenty-four hours ago. It’d been on a whim—a bad feeling—that he’d snatched up his faithful Star-Shard, and found himself whisked away by its magics. However, it was not the world of cobblestone and refuged souls he found himself, but instead the world of red-rocked canyons and desert plains, of broken keys and rusted grave-markers. It was there he found Riku, broken and bleeding and to-near lifelessness, his body threatening to fade away into the sparklings of golden light.

“Riku!” The King had screamed, grabbing onto the sparks, frantically casting curative spells that did _nothing_ , desperate for his friend not to vanish. “Riku, I’m here. You’re not alone. Wake-up!”

The boy’s eyes did open, just a crack, but they were glazed and hollow. They looked out to the world and saw nothing, revealing a horrid emptiness where his Heart should’ve shone through. Mickey knew of such eyes, and terror had welled within him at the sight of them. They’re ones of monsters that used to be people, those who would forget themselves because no one else would remember.

…and Mickey couldn’t do anything but beg.

“Riku! Your name is _Riku_! If nothing else you must hold onto that! Please Riku, hold on!!”

That was the first step. How the ones in Black Coats,—the Organization,—stole away lost souls for their cause. By giving a false name, the vulnerable, wandering wills lose everything they once were, and become completely different people.

“r-riku…” The boy murmured, delirious and unfocused. Cyan-Ocean eyes flickered for a moment, to lock their dull empty gaze with the King’s. Mickey watched, baffled, as they suddenly blazed dark, the sharp teal color melting into a deep Zaffre-Night blue. They then closed, and didn’t open again.

Suddenly, the sparkles flared and condensed. They swarmed to the boy’s broken and bloodied arm, brightening to blindness, and then… they vanished completely, leaving the silver-haired child behind.

Mickey rubbed away the flash behind his eyes, and looked all around, but the golden glows were gone. Riku lay calmly in his arms, whole and unhurt, chest slowly rising and falling as though he’d been cursed into a deep sleep. The only thing that had been amiss, was that along Riku’s previously hurt arm, now resided a metal pauldron armor.

“The King brought you here, hoping my magics could help restore you to your true self.” Yen Sid calmly concluded.

Mickey discreetly glanced over, wondering if Riku had even noticed yet, the bulky presence of his new shoulder guard. The jagged red-and-gold platings covered his entire arm, yet smoothed out near the wrist, and ended as a fingerless gauntlet. The King recognized the design, seen it on Keyblade Wielders before even, but _never_ on Riku. Its presence now awakened so many questions, and even more so when they had tried to remove it while placing the boy in bed, as it was surely uncomfortable. Yet despite best efforts, it had refused to budge.

The King has his suspicions, however. Which begged the final question; If Riku lost his Heart at Traverse Town, why did his body appear at the Keyblade Graveyard?

“My… true self?”

A pause, and then… 

Mickey tensed, broken out of his contemplation. The wrong thing had just been said.

“So, you don’t think I’m really ‘Riku.’” The boy accused. “You think that I’m like another ‘Roxas.’ Half of a person, less if even that.”

“Riku, stop!” Mickey pleaded. “That’s not what he meant—” but the mouse was cut off, Riku slashing his hand through the air as he turned on his smaller friend.

“Everybody knows exactly what’s thought of Nobodies! ‘They don’t really exist.’ ‘They’re not supposed to exist, they don’t even have Hearts!’ They’re just empty nothings ‘doomed to return to darkness.’ That about right?”

“Now see here—!”

“That’s what I am now right? A Nobody!?”

“You’re—n-…” 

Yet Mickey, as much as he hated it, found himself biting his tongue against his own retort. 

For long, painful moments, no-one said a word, allowing the silence to stretch and twist between them. A lot had been said about the Nobodies; how they were unnatural, evil things, having no right to exist. Nobodies weren’t even recognized as real people.

But what did they _actually_ know about Nobodies? 

Besides the thoughtlessly cruel judgments, passed along without any regard, they didn’t really know _anything._ Unfortunately, horrid words are not so easily taken back. Especially not now, when it was one of their own suffering the accursed fate, and when it was much, much too late to apologize for it.

But Riku ‘couldn’t feel’ anymore, so what did he have a right to care?

“Forget it. Doesn’t matter.”

“It does—” Mickey tried.

“Sora’s fallen to darkness.”

Mickey sputtered, gasping, and even the stoic wizard’s eyes widened a fraction more. Sora, the Hero of Light, had succumbed to the darkness? 

“How can this be?” Master Yen Sid demanded.

“At Traverse Town, there was an… accident. He was forced to regress into his Heartless nature.”

This was not good, and the old Master contemplated the new information carefully.

“You without a Heart, and Sora now a Heartless.” Yen Sid narrowed his eyes in suspicion. “It would seem, that these two occurrences are not just mere coincidence.”

Riku didn’t answer, his silence indiscriminating enough on its own. Mickey was shocked.

“Wait! You don’t mean…!” The mouse turned to Riku, but his friend again wasn’t looking at him. Having had enough of being ignored, Mickey heaved onto the desk, planted himself in front of the boy, and forcing his friend to meet his eyes. “Riku, was it Sora who took your Heart?”

To his credit, Riku didn’t look away, but still stayed stubbornly quiet. Those strange, deep-blue eyes held the look of a child caught in a lie, trapped in a question he knew had no right answer. Still, though reluctantly, the silver-haired boy jerked his head in an admitting nod.

Slowly, Mickey’s confusion battled within himself, reconciling what he knew of his friends with what he’s now just been told. Before finally, the inner turmoil settled into a fierce determination. If there was one thing without question, the King knew this of himself; that despite everything, he would always choose to believe in his friends. Riku and Sora alike, he had faith in both of them. 

“That’s good then.” The King said decisively, even though he knew that Riku wouldn’t understand.

“…what?” 

Even Yen Sid raised a skeptical eyebrow, so Mickey hastily elaborated.

“If Sora has your Heart, then there’s nothing to worry about. You and he are friends. He’ll keep it safe for you until you go to retrieve it.”

“You—”Riku’s mind raced. “You sound so sure of that.” The King hardly even knew Sora. Yet here he was, speaking praises and confidence of the spiky-brunette’s character, even while under the influence of darkness. Riku however, the one who’d been friends with him since childhood, the one who _should’ve…!_

…but no. It was Mickey, because that’s just the way that Mickey was. Not Riku.

He’d never believed in Sora, or his dreams, or his power. Riku was a betrayer; a destroyer of his own home, believer of lies and monsters, and attacking the very people he treasured most. Everything that was precious to him, he threw it away and spat in its face. 

Did he really dare to still call himself Sora’s friend? After all that?

‘Some friend.’ He mentally scoffed.

At Riku’s suddenly impassive silence, Mickey’s reassuring smile slipped. The King refused to lose hope in his friend, but the unnatural apathy now within Riku, might be harder to come to terms with than he thought.

“Regardless,” Yen Sid cut in, picking his words more carefully this time as the mouse dejectedly jumped down from his desk. “Sora’s falling to darkness is grave news indeed. As a Heartless, he is vulnerable to our enemies. Therefore, it is imperative that he be returned to his original self, and the same applies to you as well, Riku.”

The old Wizard then purposely waved his hand across the desk between them, swirling magic sparkling from his fingertips. From them, several tiny summoned smokes puffed from the air, twirling and contorting into indistinct silhouettes.

“Do to his many travels, Sora’s Heart is connected to a multitude of others, and the bonds he shares with them are strong.” 

The wizard explained, as a blood-red lizard slithered into clarity from the vapors. It had two yellow whiskers sprouting from it’s nose, and grinned a mouthful of fangs. Alongside it rolled a small blue-furred creature, with long ears, wide black eyes, and claws at the ends of its fingers. Appearing next was a flamboyant blue jinn, followed then by a young deer-ling fawn prancing into existence, then a yellow pixy, and lastly a full-grown prowling lion. All manners of carefree-and-wild beings, and their common factor being a connection to Sora. 

“Because of these bonds however, Sora’s falling to darkness will no doubt effect them as well. If left unchecked, I fear they too may fall to darkness.”

Suddenly the phantom illusions, bright reflections of Sora’s own personality, were swiftly overcome by terrifying inner darknesses. It spouted from within them, and Riku instinctively reached out to call it back. Remembering himself at the last second though, he instead firmly crossed his arms to watch, as each mirage was devoured and contorted—by rage, by sorrow, by jealousy—before they then began dissipated into the nothingness one-by-one. 

“Everything Sora fought for will become unraveled, and the balance between light and dark will be disadvantaged to us once more. However…”

The Old Master calmly gestured to the only remaining creature, corrupted into a raving ball of enraged blue fur. The little alien-monster thing snarled and jabbered, swiping clawed fingers in a deranged attempt to rip apart enemies that weren’t even there. A pair of antenna had sprouted from its head, and spines stuck out aggressively from its back, as it growled in constant warning. Skittering low to the ground on now six feet instead of four, it backed away from the Master’s encroaching hand, snarling and biting at the air threateningly.

“If one were to help them regain back their light…” And with just a single touch, the dark infectious wisps evaporated themselves. 

Just like that, the blue devil-thing didn’t look so much like a monster anymore. It’s eyes blew wide and round, innocent-like as its long ears flopped over when it tilted its head in befuddled confusion, its antennae gently swaying. It then broke out into a wide fang-toothed grin, and excitedly began clapping its clawed hands together, jerking up and down from its own aggressive movements, and gleefully cackling as though never having been influenced by the darkness at all.

“Keeping their light strong will, in turn, protect and strengthen Sora’s own inner light, and will be invaluable in returning him to his rightful form.”

‘If only it were actually that easy.’ Riku internally grumbled, harshly glancing away from the tiny illusion happily stuffing its feet into its mouth and then rolling itself around the Master’s desk. 

Maybe it really was that simple though, and it was only Riku who was just pathetic. Looking down at his own hand, the boy wondered if he could stand even touching anyone anymore, as painfully sensitive to the light as he apparently was now. 

Starlit-beams from through the windows glinted off his palm, and for the first time the boy realized the golden gauntlet strapped to his arm. Jerking back, he quickly turned his hand over, the lights shimmering off the metal.

‘The heck?’

“I would suggest beginning your quest at Radiant Garden.” Riku swiftly looked up, mysterious metal armor temporarily forgotten. “There you will find one called Leon, who will be able to help point you in the right direction.”

The boy looked incredulously at the old man, thinking the wizard crazy. Was he really implying that Riku, a newly-turned Nobody, a being of nothing but darkness, be sent to instill Light within others? Of all things, that had to be the dumbest—! 

Yen Sid lifted one, arching brow, as though hearing Riku’s condescending inner monologue. Silently did the Master challenge his Pupil, daring him to contradict. Wisely, Riku clamped his mouth shut.

The boy also could’ve sworn the old coot was mentally laughing at him.

“Through there you will find three Good Fairies.” The wizard indicated, to an adjacent pair of doors. “They can gift you with garments suitable for your new travels. I suggest you ask them kindly.”

Riku bit back his retort, whatever unkindness it would’ve been. Instead he stiffly bowed his respects, and then abruptly turned and walked away.

“Wait, Riku!” Mickey called out, rushing after him but the boy did not slow down or acknowledge him. 

The tall double doors slammed open with undo force, Riku strolling right through the short corridor with the intent to bash open the second pair of doors as well.

“Riku stop! I know you’re upset, but you need to calm down!”

“I’m not upset.”

 _Bam!_ went the second pair of ornamental doors, as they then ricocheted off the walls. Needing to catch the door again before it swung back to hit him in the face, Riku shoved himself through. Mickey darted forward, using his small body to physically block the boy’s path as he implored.

“Humor me, please. Just stop, and focus on breathing slowly.”

Riku furrowed his brow, not getting the point of the request. He wasn’t upset. Still, it was Mickey who was asking. 

‘Mickey’s a friend’ he reminded himself. One of the only friends he’s never actually betrayed, and never intentionally hurt.

So he stilled himself, sparing a moment to focus on the air entering and leaving his lungs, only to realize that he was numb to the sensation. He didn’t feel it at all. It made him question if he was even really breathing. This whole time, had he not been breathing? Yet he could see his chest moving, so he had to be.

Mickey, seeing his friend seemingly calm himself, turned to address the kind women who’d been startled at Riku’s brash entrance.

“Good Fairies! Great to see you again. This is my friend Riku!” He introduced.

“Oh, King Mickey.” The tallest one hesitantly stepped forward. She was a grey-haired elderly, wearing the brightest conglomeration of mismatching pinks Riku’d ever seen. From the conical hat to the frills of the dress, it was all just Pink. “It is good to see you as well.”

“Greetings, Your Majesty.” The second elder excitedly cooed and bowed. A more petite lady, she was adorned in as equally vivid shades of greens as the pink one was. 

The third fairy, seemingly a bit younger than the other two with dark black hair and blue as her choice of color, she just glared distrustfully at Riku.

Riku scowled right back.

“Ha, ha…” Mickey chuckled nervously, trying to sooth away the tension. “Sorry, he’s been through a lot today. We’re hoping to get him some traveling clothes.”

“Oh, well then you’ve certainly come to the right place.” The green one acknowledged, relaxing a bit now that a task had been given. Boldly approaching the stoic child, she kindly gestured him forward. “Now dearie, come along.” She said. 

Riku avoided her touch, but allowed himself to be guided to the center of the room where all three fairies began to eagerly circle him, their paper-thin wings flapping jittery from their backs. The thin green one came to his side to do some kind of measurements with her wand, while the pink one approached his front. She has to fly her short self a foot off the ground just to get a better look at his eyes. The portly blue one was at his left side, reaching out a hand to inspect his gauntlet.

“That stays.” Riku jerked, wrapping his other hand around the metal defensively. He almost backed away, but… that didn’t make any sense. Why was he suddenly so protective of the armor? He’d hardly even knew it exited a minute ago.

“Now calm down, you.” Blue admonished, her voice deeper than her older compatriots, and clearly irritated. “It can stay as it is, that’ll be no problem for us.”

“Indeed.” Pink more gently reassured, finishing her wand measurements of his size before all three backed off. “I think we know the perfect thing for you.” She rambled excitedly. 

“Let’s make it blue!” The Blue fairy-lady declared, and for some reason Pink scowled at her, but before she could even finish opening her mouth in protest, Green interrupted.

“Now then let’s not squabble about that again!” She firmly admonished. “The dear’s been through enough stress already.”

At that, both fairies flushed in abashed embarrassment.

“Very well then.” Pink relented. “All together now girls!”

A flick of their wands, and flares of pink, green, blue, sparkle, light, and all of it straight for Riku. The boy had to force himself to stay in place, to not dodge out of the way. Instead he blinked and tensed from the magic as it encircled him. The heat of the light trailed across his skin, condensing like strings being pulled tight. Then, in the blink of an eye, the magic solidified into warm cloth and fabric.

“Oh, my!” Pink exclaimed.

“Now don’t you look simply fetching!” Blue agreed.

“Yes, very lovely indeed.” Green concurred.

As the fairies fussed and fawned over their own work of art, Mickey ran over, to appraise himself of his friend’s new outfit.

“You look great Riku!” The mouse enthusiastically affirmed.

Riku however, wasn’t really taking anything in. His vision had gotten blurry again, and his mind seemed to be swimming in water. He could even hear the blood rushing in his ears. A moment later though, the strange vertigo passed, as quickly as it had come.

“Thank you.” He murmured, unsteady on his own feet but remembering his manners. He still kept his head down though, and wouldn’t meet their eyes, but Mickey seemed glad that he’d at least spoken.

“Thank you very much, Good Fairies.” The King also said. “We really appreciate it.”

“Anytime King Mickey.”

Suddenly, Riku found a large, full-bodied mirror pushed right in front of him, the sheet overtop it pulled to the side. Mickey was peeking from behind it, grinning ear to ear.

“Come-on Riku, why don’t you take a look!”

So the boy did. He looked—and didn’t recognize whom he was staring at.

_**~:An image of you overcome by the power of darkness flows into your mind:~** _

The Keyblade Wielder shivered, shaking his head to rid himself of the intrusive thought. That wasn’t him. Right? Forcing himself to brush the strangeness away, he tried focusing more on the reflection itself. But…

Was that… really him?

The kid was the right size, with overgrown silver hair with long bangs in his face, and blue eyes. So at first glance, it could have been Riku, but something was all… wrong. The way he stood wasn’t quite right, and, the zaffre-blue eyes staring back at him, he recognized those eyes, but they didn’t belong to him. Those were familiar eyes, ones that belonged to someone _else._

Riku tried to shake away yet another shiver that crawled up his spine. When he looked again, he actively ignored the, not-him-ness, of his own reflection, and focused solely on the clothes.

The gauntlet remained, just as he’d asked, dull gold and bright red from hand to shoulder. The color theme of the rest of the ensemble however, appeared to be black, with a basic short-sleeved shirt and unzipped sleeveless hoodie-jacket overtop it. Yellow contrasts stood out in the zippers, along with matching belts crisscrossing his trousers, and a single vertical yellow stripe on the left-side of his shirt, piercing through where his Heart would have once been. 

Riku found himself quickly averting his gaze from the line, where it spiked and dipped on his chest like a perverse parody of a broken heartbeat monitor.

Moving on, the cargo trousers were also black, yet baggy and comfortable as well. Yellow strings tied them closed at the ankle, and tucked them into his shoes in a way he could get used to. His shoes however, were a pair of gold and bronze armored sabatons, a matching set to the pauldron on his arm.

‘Had I been wearing these the whole time, too?’ A question Riku could’ve asked the fairies as he turned his foot to better inspect the armor, but in the end he wasn’t curious enough to do so.

The fairies, Blue, Pink, and Green, had all crowded around the mirror, eager and exited to hear of his opinion on their handiwork. Mickey also was giving him an expectant wide-eyed face.

“They’re… fine, I guess.”

At the lackluster comment, all four of them kinda drooped, and Mickey even seemed a little disappointed in him. Was that the wrong answer?But what else could he say? He’d never been fond of dark colors, more-so now than ever, and the hoodie thing had always been more Sora’s gig rather than his, and the armor… he didn’t even know what to think about the armor.

“I, need to go.” He awkwardly dismissed himself, then hurriedly left. Behind him he heard Mickey quickly stating farewells and final thank-you’s before also following him. 

“The fairies can redesign them you know.” The mouse quietly told him, and Riku stopped, right in the middle of the corridor, the doors closing behind them.

“No, they’re fine. It was… kind of them to make them for me.” Riku turned his head away. He just couldn’t seem to meet Mickey’s eyes at all today, could he. “I shouldn’t have acted like that.”

“It’s alright, you’ve been through a lot today. It’s understandable that you’d be angry and upset.”

“I’m not though. I don’t… feel angry.”

“Hmph,” the mouse snorted. “You know, I don’t really believe that’s true.”

Riku looked down to the small mouse at that, uncomprehending. Mickey however, simply smiled back.

“See, the truth is, we don’t really know all that much about Heartless and Nobodies. But I do know you, Riku.” Slowly, the King raised his hand, hovering it right over Riku’s missing Heart. “You and I, our Hearts are connected, and so long as your friends remember who you are, then your Heart can never vanish.” Then Mickey dropped his hand, looking up with a confident grin. “Sora holds your Heart now, but you and he are also connected. So I’m sure, if you follow that connection, then everything will work itself out. Just keep faith in yourself.”

Riku didn’t know if he believed that, and his hesitance must’ve shown, because the King continued.

“Hey, remember what I told you before? I once thought Darkness was something that should never exist. But when I met you, I learned that there was more to Darkness then what the Masters had taught. So I think, that there’s also more to Nobodies then what we believe, and there’s definitely more to you, too.”

Riku, didn’t know how to process that. Was still processing it, when he began walking again, past the second set of corridor doors, and to where Master Yen Sid stood by the crescent-moon and star windows, waiting for them.

“Ah, the fairies did their work I see.” He appraised, skimming over the boy’s new apparel approvingly. “I have arranged your transport to Radiant Garden, where you will meet with Leon.”

The wizard handed over a small piece of yellowed paper.

“It’s a train ticket.” The magician smirked as Riku took the parchment. “It will be waiting for you at the bottom of the tower, when you’re ready.”

“Thank you.” Riku bowed, but before he could leave, Yen Sid called out once more.

“Just a moment, Riku.”

Hesitantly, Riku turned back around, to see the Master stroking his long beard, eyes focused intently.

“I feel I owe you an apology. While it’s true I give no regard to Nobodies, I wouldn’t be much of a Master, or a teacher, if I didn’t put due faith in my pupils.”

Master Yen Sid walked across the room, and placed a soothing hand on Riku’s pauldron covered shoulder, the armor plating separating the touch, so it didn’t burn, and Riku didn’t flinch.

“I realize I place a difficult task on you, but I have full confidence that if anyone can accomplish it, you can. Sora will return to his rightful self, and you will be given back that which was taken from you.”

Riku lowered his eyes, giving a silent nod of acknowledgement.

“That being said, I do not ask that you take this burden on alone. Sora had his companions after all, to stand by his side. I advise you do the same, and gather allies of your own throughout your journey.”

Riku raised an eyebrow, his eyes naturally turning to Mickey. However, as though reading the youth’s thoughts, Yen Sid gravely shook his head.

“Unfortunately, his Majesty has his own tasks to attend to, and for that I do apologize.” 

Again, Riku jerked a nod. Accepting the apology as a dismissal, he then turned and left. The solemn master who remained behind, had only these final words.

“May your Heart be your Guiding Key.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> To be continued...!!!
> 
> Now here’s a bit of fun insight to what prompted this fic, for those of you who want to know, and those who might be wishing for a little more clarity on the abstract concepts. ~Know that the following may contain future plot spoilers.~
> 
> So, obviously, I got this idea after completing a one-shot fic featuring Heartless Sora. It naturally lead to a need to creat a Nobody Riku based fic, but then things spiraled out of my control when contemplating the nature of Nobodies, and how becoming one would influence Riku as a character. Here’s how.
> 
> First of all, it is claimed that they cannot feel, and even the Nobodies themselves believe this, however this is not true as they obviously experience emotions as 358/2 Days showed, and Dream Drop Distance confirmed. So, what does this mean?
> 
> The conclusion I came up with; Nobodies have difficulty identifying their own emotions due to being incapable of actually feeling physical touch. Often times, emotions have an impact on the body—Ex: crying=sadness—but remove the physical indicators for the emotion, and how can you tell that you’re even crying, let alone that you’re feeling anything at all? Roxas bypassed this by learning to identify his emotions in a different way, whereas Axle, who was brainwashed into believing he truly had no emotion, lashed out irrationally and impulsively as his unrealized emotions confused his behavior.
> 
> Another little factor that will be explored in this fic, is Riku’s sensitivity to Light and Darkness as a result of having lost his Heart. Light causes burning, whereas Darkness causes freezing. This is a creative liberty, and has no standing in the games whatsoever. The armor on Riku, however, is an extra twist on the story, and does have an origin!!
> 
> !!!WARNING SPOILER ALERT!!!
> 
> The armor is the same one as Terra’s! (Congrats on whoever figured that out on their own!) After all, I figured that if Sora’s Heart could hold other people’s Hearts, then why can’t Riku’s? And last I heard, Riku was possessed by Ansem, who was a personality comprised of both Xehanort’s Heart, AND Terra’s Heart. Though Sora destroyed Xehanort’s heartless in the first game, allowing Master Xehanort to reform in DDD, it was shown in 385/2 Days that Riku still had Terra’s Heart bound to him, as KH3 confirmed that the Dark Figure/Guardian was in fact Terra’s Heartless.
> 
> I actually came up with this idea while pondering Roxas and the Nobodies, and the age old question ‘Why does he look like Ventus?’ inevitably came to mind. In the end I came to this theory; when Sora unlocked his Heart, he became a heartless, Kiari’s Heart returned to her, but Ventus’ Heart, that was also with him at that time, could not return to Ventus because his body was locked away in Castle Oblivion. Therefore, Ventus’ Heart could only return to Sora’s empty body, and since Sora’s sense of self had remained with his Heartless form, his body took on the form of the only Heart that was currently possessing it. This was a concept that applied to Replicas in Chain of Memories and KH3, and thus the reason for Roxas’ form taking on Ventus instead of Sora. However, this also left a blank-slake Nobody influenced by a sleeping Heart that wasn’t his, to wander the worlds, and eventually appear at the Twilight Town’s Old Mansion, a place directly connected to Castle Oblivion where Ventus lay hidden.
> 
> Back to the point. The Roxas theory created the idea that Hearts are attracted to theirselves. Therefore, Nobody Riku, with Terra’s Heart, his body was naturally drawn to the only thing left of Terra during the placement of this fic; the Lingering Will found in the Keyblade Graveyard from Birth by Sleep, KH2, and KH3.
> 
> That’s how Riku inherited Terra’s awesome armor!!
> 
> That’s just about all the vague plot points covered in this here first chapter. I hope you enjoyed the story, as I put a lot of effort into it for that specific purpose.
> 
> Up next; Riku heads to Radiant Garden, learns to purify a corrupted link to Sora, and discovers an interesting tidbit about his mysterious armor!
> 
> P.S. I know the Good Fairies names are Flora, Fauna, and Merryweather, I just didn’t feel like introducing them. Besides, I thought Riku referring to them as Pink, Green, and Blue was funny.


	2. Radiant Garden

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Riku starts his journey with one goal in mind. He needs to find Sora and return him to his original form of Light. To do this however, Riku must first restore the Light of those connected to Sora’s Heart. 
> 
> ***
> 
> Riku narrowed his eyes.
> 
> “And what do you expect me to do, exactly? Beat them upside the head with a stick? You think that will just ‘knock some sense’ into them and solve all our problems!?”
> 
> “If that’s your plan, then I think I saw just the thing for you.” Leon deadpanned.
> 
> ****
> 
> Riku doesn’t think a Nobody could ever be up to the task of restoring a person’s Light. Especially if that Nobody is himself.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Alternative title; Stitch Has a Glitch

Footsteps echoed throughout the tower. Hurried, rushed, and faster going down the stairs rather than up. The exit loomed overhead, the doors opening on their own with an awesome flare of magic, yet the boy didn’t spare them a single thought. Grass bent beneath bronze boots he’d never worn before today, and the moon gleamed silver against his hair as the teenager suddenly found himself under a vast canopy of a million stars.

“Riku! Wait!”

Reluctantly, the boy ceased, his feet dragging to a stop as he allowed the small mouse to catch up to him. 

“Master Yen Sid said you couldn’t come with me.” Riku harshly bit out between his teeth.

“Yea, I know.” The King sadly conceded, yet still unerringly determined. “But, there is someone I want you to meet.”

Riku raised a brow, before movement caught the corner of his eye. A tiny being was jumping down the few steps of the tower’s entrance, a surprisingly loud and high-pitched ‘boing’ accompanying its every leap. For such a small thing, it covered an impressive amount of ground quickly, as a single bound had landed it right atop Mickey’s head.

“Hello there!” It greeted, before then hopping down onto the King’s outstretched hand. With a flourishing bow of its top-hat and a flick of its coattails, the insect person introduced himself. “Jiminy Cricket’s the name! At your service!”

Riku, was underwhelmed.

“We’ve already met.” He deadpanned, watching apathetically as the cricket’s smile wavered for just a moment.

“Ah, yes, we did now didn’t we.” Jiminy sheepishly acknowledged, but quickly recovered his smile. “Then as you know, I was Sora’s faithful companion during all his previous journeys. I chronicled everything that we saw and did in my journals, and I believe this information will prove useful to you on your new endeavor. If you’ll have me, that is.”

“Wait,” Riku asked incredulously. “Are you saying that you want to come with me?”

“I assure you I won’t get in the way. Why, it’ll be like I’m not even there.”

“Doubt it.” Riku scoffed, ready to turn away once more. The last thing he needed was a bug constantly looking over his shoulder, judging his every mistake, and whispering criticisms in his ear.

Suddenly the minuscule person came leaping over him, and the adolescent boy abruptly found himself face to face with a very irate Jiminy Cricket, who was casually floating along with the use of a tiny red umbrella.

“Now you listen here Riku!” The bug scolded with his one free hand. “This is not up for debate! You need someone to look after you, and that’s where I come in! So I’m coming with you, whether you like it or not!”

With that, the cricket swung his legs, jumped from the air, and scurried up the boy’s arm. Riku flailed, trying to grab the insect off of himself, but it was like the little bug had just vanished into his hoodie. Hastily patting down his clothes didn’t help, and he wasn’t in any of the pockets either. Where did he—?

“Riku,” Mickey quietly pleaded, causing the teen to abruptly still. “I know you always feel like you must face trials on your own, but you don’t need to anymore. You don’t have to prove anything.” Gingerly, the mouse placed a gloved hand on Riku’s arm. “You don’t need to shoulder all this alone.”

Riku tried, he really did, but he couldn’t bear the burn of the King’s touch. The Light seeped into his skin like fire, and he jerked away, cringing from the hurt in his friend’s eyes.

 _‘I’m sorry.’_ He thought, the words failing him. _‘I can’t help it.’_ He couldn’t bear even the slightest touch, and he couldn’t stand meeting the King’s eyes. 

He could, however, relent.

“Fine.” The boy sighed. “The cricket can stay.”

Mickey’s relief was palpable, doing that little guffaw-laugh that he sometimes makes, as the mouse strut ahead a few paces to lead the way.

“Your train’s this way!” He called over his shoulder, waving for Riku to follow.

The regal mouse led the young adolescent to the very edge of the Mysterious Island, and had it been any other islet, Riku would’ve expected to see ocean. However, true to its name, the island instead mysteriously crumbled off into an abyss of swirling orange mist. 

Riku didn’t question such a strangeness though, not anymore, nor did he even wonder about the lack of a platform for the supposed train they were meeting. He just gazed into the starlit darkness above, and beyond the swirling vapors of the edge below. A vastness without boundaries… without borders… 

_**‘Outside this tiny world, is a much bigger one...’** _

The teen shook his head, as though it would help dislodge the memory—the reminiscences of hundreds of nights where he once looked to the sky—a time when he had desperately clung to a long-since-broken promise.

“Ah, there it is!” Mickey exclaimed with an excited twitch of his ears.

Sure enough, Riku pulled out of his musings just in time to hear the chug of an engine, and the screeching of a whistle piercing through the endless skies. Beyond his sight in the distance, luminescent neon-green tracks came into being between the stars, and built onto themselves closer and closer. Magically appearing upon them, as though through a bright rip in the sky, roared a violet-purple and glittering-gold train. Bright and huge and loud and larger than life, Riku had never imagined that a mere locomotive could look so outlandishly eccentric before. He bet Sora loved it.

There was still no platform though. Riku had half-expected a station to just magically appear all sparkle-like around them in a fit of blue swirls and luminescent light, but no such thing happened. Not that he cared, because he _didn’t_. He just thought that it would’ve been cool if it had, that’s all. Nonetheless, the teen waited for the train as it came to a loud and screeching stop. The doors opened automatically with an expectant and awaiting air about them, and yet Riku found himself hesitating. 

He, didn’t want… didn’t know…

“Wait, Riku.” 

And Riku turned immediately to Mickey. Of course he did, because that was what was asked of him. He opened his mouth, to speak, but his words left him as he saw what the mouse was holding. 

A star,—a bright, glass stained pendant gleaming a paopu-fruit-yellow in the light. Obsidian-black metal framed the translucent pieces, soldering them all together. The small trinket dangled innocently from its chain, gently held in the King’s grip.

“It’s a reminder of your friends.” Mickey explained. “Some people very close to me, shared something similar to this. Meant to keep them safe and bring them together again.” A brief, grieving look came over the king’s eyes, as he offered the necklace for his young friend to take. “I put a bit of my magic into it. I thought perhaps, it might help.” 

Riku was dumbstruck, blue eyes wide. The King was giving _him_ a Good-Luck charm? Carefully—hesitantly—the boy took the delicate star in hand, its smooth edges brushing along his fingertips. Visions flashed behind his eyes as he did; memories of Kari and her thalassa shells, of Namine and her beloved pencils, and… someone else… somebody he shouldn’t have forgotten but can no longer recall.

Riku’s mind flinched away, his hand gripping the small pendant. It seemed like everyone had some little thing to hold onto. Things that used to be so simple, so easy to understand back then, yet everything had changed so fast. He couldn’t explain what he really wanted anymore, because he didn’t know! Confused, desperate too-dark-blue eyes finally met the King’s, but Mickey only smiled for him, a sad, hesitant kind.

“Take care Riku, and remember, you and I will always be connected. You’re not alone.” Then, as though bracing himself first, the mouse rushed forward and hugged the boys legs as fast as he could, a quick tight squeeze before swiftly releasing him. 

Riku jolted from the hug, and hated himself for it. The Light of the small mouse burned even from through his clothes, but the young teenager wanted nothing more than to return the embrace, to hold on regardless if the touch turned his body to ash.

He thinks he hates this. Hates how complicated everything had suddenly become. Hates how complicated everything had _always_ been, solely because of him.

“Goodbye, Mickey.” Grinding his teeth together and not even realizing he’s doing it, Riku tuned back around, and finally entered the train, leaving his friend behind without even a smile. When the doors quietly closed behind him he was left facing rows upon rows of empty seats. 

The ticket that Master Yen Sid had given him magically rose from his pocket, trailing sparkles in its wake. It suddenly hole-punched itself, the sound echoing off the corridors even though there hadn’t been anything to make the noise. The tiny drifting circle of littered paper vanished into white sparklings, but the rest of the ticket remained, floating mysteriously of its own power, patiently waiting.

A completely empty train. No passengers. No conductor. No set destination. A Ghost Train to Nowhere... Fitting.

With a sigh, Riku took back his ticket and slumped into a random seat. The train whistled one final time before it began moving, the boy’s eyes naturally turning to look out the ridiculous star-shaped windows. He watched listlessly as Mickey stayed on the isle’s edge, waving madly a final farewell, but Riku just stared blankly back at the quickly fading mouse, until a blindingly white flash lit up the windows. The intense flare seared abstract images into the teen’s eyes, but he didn’t so much as even blink. 

Once the light faded though, it was to a wondrous sight. Enormous, ethereal auroras danced parallel to the train, dozens of them. The glamorous jade-green manifestations of magic tunneled straight through the voids between stars, allowing for a spectacular display of travel amongst the worlds themselves.

_**‘…And you will find me, friend. No ocean will contain you then. No more borders around, or below, or above…’** _

The teen harshly bit back the memory, forcibly blocking it out. He was such a naïve kid back then, waiting and waiting, only to grow up and realize that the one who had promised, was never coming back for him. He was abandoned, alone, betrayed, and trapped on a tiny group of isles surrounded by water. And the worst part of it all, the worst thing that stranger had left him, were the dreams. The longing that he lived with, every day, for far off worlds he never truly had a prayer of ever reaching.

Because in the end, the Keyblade was meant for Sora. 

_~:Careful now, you’re going to break it:~_

Riku jerked, panicked as he lurched halfway out of his seat while also desperately scanning the empty corridor. Yet the train had nobody in it but himself. No one was there.

Confused, the boy hesitantly sank back down into his chair, realizing only then that he was still clutching the star-charm. It fit snugly in his hand, but it was like his nerve-endings were numb. He couldn’t feel the cool metal against his fingertips, or the glass against his palm. What he could _see_ was his knuckles turning white from how tight his grip was. A bit startled, Riku immediately relaxed his hand, watching as it flushed red from the returning blood-flow. It was then that he noticed, within the black metal of the star’s center, the stylized insignia of a heart. 

It was a simple thing, a looping curve under the arch of the heart, then a gentle swerve that sharply cut up at a sharp point from the bottom, before finally curling back into the second arch and looping itself to an end. A simple design for a simple shape.

 _ **“It’s my bond with my friends.”**_ The words were out of his mouth before Riku even knew he was speaking, the phrase sounding strangely odd coming from his own mouth.

Riku huffed a dry laugh. A _‘reminder,’_ the King had said, a reminder of everything he’s now lost. His friend, his connections, even his own Heart. Mickey should’ve just gone all out and stamped the Heartless emblem on the stupid thing, smack-dab in the center of it. That’s what had dangled from his own hack of a Keyblade, a monument of his every failure and sin and sheer inability to ever learn! 

_~:The pendant… remember?:~_

Riku hadn’t realized his grip had tightened again, his fingers curling around the charm’s edges and digging into the glass. He didn’t even feel it. He couldn’t ...feel it?

_~:Why don’t you put it on? That way, it won’t break:~_

“That’s it!” Riku snarled at the empty room. He hadn’t been sure before, but he was positive now. There was a voice in his mind, and he wanted it out! Maleficent, Ansem, Diz, he’d had just about enough of people in his head constantly trying to manipulate him. “Show yourself!”

“Now, now, calm down my boy.” Then, out came Jiminy Cricket, the insect jumping down from who-knew-where from within the teen’s hoodie, and grinning up at the boy he’d unintentionally startled. “It’s only me!”

“Wait...what?” Riku was struck speechless, unconsciously brushing his hand behind his ears and neck searchingly, but there was nowhere for the cricket to have hidden. So then how did he…? Unless…

“You were in my head?” Riku accused rather incredulously. 

“Well now, surly you didn’t think I was just a regular ol’ cricket now did you? Traveling the worlds with Sora, I’ve needed a few tricks up my sleeve too you know!” With that, Jiminy proudly pulled open his tailcoat-jacket, revealing a bright and shiny golden badge that, honestly, looked a bit too comically large compared to the tiny cricket. Engraved on it though, were the words ‘Official Conscience ~.~ 18 KT.’ 

“And that… lets you go into people’s heads?” Riku wasn’t liking this idea, at all.

“Now, now, don’t give me that look there, fella. It’s just a mite touch of my magic. I’m not sorting through your mind and memories or the like. I’m just there to help give advice for if-and-when you need it. That’s what a Conscience is for after all!” The cricket’s smile went a little concerned then. “Speaking of which, I advise you get some sleep. It might take a while to get where we’re going, and you could use the rest.”

“I’m not tired.” 

“Those bags under your eyes say otherwise.”

“Well my eyes are _wrong!_ ” Riku suddenly snapped. What did this bug know about his body and its needs? He was fine! He wasn’t tired! He wasn’t angry! And he definitely didn’t need yet another voice in his head! Just who died and made this… this…— _insect!_ — the know-it-all, be-it-all of Right and Wrong anyway!?!

Riku huffed, hearing his teeth crackle the slightest bit as he forced himself to unclench his jaw. His arms had crossed defensively in front of himself, the bulky ridges of the pauldron armor digging into his arms, but the stubborn teenager ignored it. It didn’t hurt anyway.

“…I am not your enemy Riku.” Jiminy gently admonished, a look of silent disappointment on the cricket’s face. “I’m here for guidance, that’s all. What you do with my advice, is entirely up to you.”

With those parting words, the cricket hopped right back into the hoodie, and disappeared. Riku however, rolled his eyes and slumped even further. 

_‘Whatever’_ he sulked, glaring at the dancing green lights behind the windows. He didn’t need any help. He never did before, and he didn’t need it now. 

It also didn’t matter to him, that the faint reflection staring back from the glass, looked so _tired_. The heavy lids of his eyes drooped low, the proof of their exhaustion deeply bruised from underneath them. None of that mattered, because he really _wasn’t_ tired.

Eventually, there was yet another blinding flare, and the awesome magics of the auroras, were instantly replaced with the dull and mundane. Average buildings zoomed by in a blur, accompanied by the loud clanking-rumble of metal-on-metal tracks. The train rolled into a proper station this time, all normal like, and with an earsplitting whistle and hiss, came to a stop.

It was a bit disorienting, stepping out from a barren train, only to be met with the overwhelming hustle and bustle of a busy platform. Crowds of people hurried their way to wherever they were going, not sparing a glance to anyone else. When Riku caught a glimpse behind him, he found that the mysterious Ghost Train had vanished. In its place appeared a perfectly ordinary train, dropping off passengers and accepting new ones like it probably did every day. 

_‘No going back now.’_ Riku thought, a bit at a loss for what to do next. He was supposed to meet up with a guy named Leon, right? _‘First thing’s first, get away from all these people.’_

Riku had never really liked large crowds, which was ironic considering that growing up he was often regarded as a braggart, coming across to strangers and friends alike as the allusive show-off. That being said though, he’d only ever actually done so with one person at a time. He craved the spotlight, but feared making a failure of himself, so he’d challenge them to sparing, racing, anything really, but always while alone. He would talk up a big game, and if he ever fell short of the mark, he just shrugged it off like it wasn’t his fault. Only the one person would see him miss after all, no big deal. Over the past couple years however, Riku’s learned to keep his big mouth shut, and his fool head down.

It was an emptier area of the terminal, only a handful of other people loitering nearby. Riku didn’t get much farther than that however, before suddenly being intercepted by a strange computerized looking shaft of light bleeping up from the ground. Startled, Riku tried to backtrack, only to find more circular-lights beaming into existence from behind him.

“Potentially hostile entity recognized. Please identify yourself.” An electronic voice echoed from off the walls, and Riku desperately tried to pinpoint the source. From the corner of his eye he saw others also stop in their tracks, they however nervously turned around once they noticed the strange lights. The teenager was left to fend for himself, surrounded and now clearly being threatened by someone he couldn’t actually see.

Reflexively, Riku reached out, calling on his connection to his Heart within. However, instead of his keyblade an aching rush of freezing-cold pierced through his chest, quickly dousing a hollowness there he hadn’t noticed before. Gasping, the boy gripped at his shirt, right over the Heart that was _missing,_ and released his summoning. 

“Please identify yourself.” The computerized voice insisted again, forcing the boy to refocus.

“Riku.” He answered in a huff, regaining his breath as the coolness slowly faded. Still suspicious of his surroundings, he managed to spot several speakers imbedded into the ceiling and walls of the station. _‘What is this?’_

_~:Tron; a Security Program that exists within Radiant Garden’s computer mainframe:~_

Riku cringed, recoiling away from the tiny voice at the back of his mind. It was weird, having someone else input thoughts directly into his head like that, and definitely not something he wanted to get used to. 

Also, did the cricket just say a security _program?_ So, like, did he mean that the person on the speakers was some kind of A.I.? 

_~:Sora once helped him to overcome the corrupt MCP and save the city from self-destruction. Tron now acts as the overseer for Radiant Garden’s information hub—known as the DTD—and also manages the town’s defense mechanisms:~_

The teenager harshly shook his head, half-raising his hand in a tempted urge smack the upside of it. A vain attempt to dislodge the insect, he knew, but even though the bug meant him no harm, he still didn’t appreciate the foreign information.

“Identity recognized.” The computer acknowledged, and suddenly the bleeping lights all vanished at once. “Welcome to Radiant Garden, Riku. I am Tron, the town’s security.” 

_~:Tron made his debut on screen in TRON, 1982:~_

Wait, …what? That info made no sense at all.

“Leon and the others are expecting you. If I could direct your attention to the station’s terminals, I can guide you to—.”

“Whoa-whoa-whoa, wait! Wait!” Riku hollered. “That’s it? I thought I was a ‘hostile entity.’ And you’re going to let me go just like that?”

“I… apologize for the offense.” Tron abashedly tried to placate. “The information provided by the DTD classifies a User with your configuration as a ‘Nobody’ and lists them as highly dangerous beings. I am sorry I jumped to conclusions. That was rude of me.”

As the program spoke, Riku gradually became deathly still, his eyes going out of focus as he processed the A.I.'s blunt classification. A Nobody, that’s what he was now. He knew it was true, and even harshly demeaned himself as one not so long ago, but still… 

He hadn’t appreciated how King Mickey and even Master Yen Sid had been so... gentle, about it. By contrast however, strangers had no reason to be the same Riku was a Nobody, and would be identified and defined as one. 

“You’re right.” The boy relented. For some reason though, his voice sounded really strained. “Nobody’s are dangerous, and by that logic I’m...”

A threat... A _monster_... A being that belonged solely to the Darkness…

“By my experience,” Interjected the computer. “Users are not constrained by the limits of logic. You’re Riku, one of Sora’s closest friends, correct?” Tron waited for an answer, but Riku was at a loss as to what to say. It couldn’t be that simple, could it? Hesitantly, the boy managed a small nod. “Then that is enough. I apologize again for my less than welcoming greeting. I’m still learning the proper way to interact with Users.”

_…what…?_

Riku was… struck dumb. Was an A.I. of all things, really just going to ignore the fact that he was a Nobody, simply because Sora called him a friend?

Riku was too lost in thoughts that _didn’t make sense to him_ , to notice initially. Unconsciously though, he’d lifted a hand over his nose, reacting to a foul stench that pervaded his senses. It was thick and cold, yet grated down his throat like ash, and scraped against his lungs like sulfur. The heck was that smell?

“Now then, as I said, the others are waiting for you in the—“

“FEEBOOGOO!!”

“Graa!!” Riku stumbled, wrenching his hand back to yank off whatever had just tackled him. Bare fingers dug into the blue-furred scruff of the thing’s neck, the boy tossing the writhing, snapping, whatever-it-was away from himself. It bashed against the wall, but instead of sliding down to the ground, its feet stuck themselves to the surface. Like some giant, six-legged and blue-furred bug, it crawled up the ceiling. The strange creature snarled as it twisted itself to glare glowing acid-green eyes at the boy, baring its teeth and hissing at him.

Shivers racked down Riku’s spine as he crouched into a defensive stance. The rabid creature had nails, black and wicked sharp, and they’d scratched deep gouges into his arm as it’d been flung. The injuries were bleeding, but it wasn’t pain that Riku felt. Instead it was a bitter, pervasive cold that seeped into his skin.

When the boy risked a glance, it was to find dark trailing wisps of red vapor clinging onto his arm. Hurriedly, he shook the strange tendrils off, the overwhelming stench of sulfur and ash returning.

It smelt like darkness, it looked like darkness, but even as the blue-furred creature crouched down in order to attack again, its long ears, antennae, and spines flaring, it wasn’t of a darkness that Riku was used to. This was something… clearly different.

_~:Stitch; Originally known as Experiment Six-Two-Six:~_

Said experiment launched itself from the ceiling, swiping razor sharp claws and snapping teeth. Without a weapon to summon, Riku instead hastily brought his gauntleted arm up to try and guard himself. The creature might have been small but it was fast, and he was just barely in time for the little monster-thing to lock its jaws around the armor instead of his face.

_Clang! Clang! Clang!_

_~:Stitch hails from a far and distant world, created as part of a long string of illegal genetic experiments:~_

_Clang! Clang! Clang! Clang!_

The thing wouldn’t stop! It kept rearing back and striking rapid-quick, again and again, trying to bite down hard enough to crack the metal plating.

All the while, the same strange darkness as before pulsed from the creature’s fur. Like a living shroud of fire, it flickered and flared a deep carmine-red. The sent of cold sulfur and ash fumed suffocatingly thick as the little monster bit and growled around the armor in its mouth.

_~:His creator, Dr. Jumba Jookiba, programmed Stitch to hold only one singular instinct—:~_

Its feral, acid-green eyes burned.

_~:To destroy everything he touches:~_

Riku lurched forward, throwing the rabid alien off of him. The creature toppled head-over-tail, until it dug in its claws and skidded to a stop, crouching low to the ground and practically frothing at the mouth. This thing was clearly mad. 

_~:However, Stitch had since made Radiant Garden his home and fights alongside the Restoration Committee to protect it from the Heartless:~_

Riku growled out a low, frustrated sound at Jiminy’s continued monologuing. The rambling was stupidly distracting when there was a crazed alien-monster-dog-thing that kept trying to _bite_ him!

 _~:Stitch is also one of those connected to Sora’s Heart that Master Yen Sid has asked to be restored their light:~_ Chirped the cricket. 

“Great,” scoffed Riku. “Now you tell me.” He couldn’t have started with that information? It was like, the only thing of actual importan—

_~:Stitch made his debut on screen in Lilo and Stitch, 2002:~_

…whatever, it didn’t matter.

Riku flung out his hand, thoughtlessly trying to once again call for his Keyblade. If this thing wanted a fight, he was willing to give it one. Exept, once again, his Keyblade did not answer. Instead, a fierce cold erupted within his chest, sharper and faster than before, and with a pain similar to a brain-freeze from within his core. The piercing chill pulsed through his body, trailing through his blood’s veins, into his fingers and down to his feet. His legs gave out and the boy fell to his knees, panting. 

A thick purple bog began rising from the teenager’s skin. His whole body was freezing, trembling. Riku’s breaths were heavy and quick, but despite this he couldn’t smell it, the scent of his own darkness. He could _feel_ it though, in a way he never had before. It felt like it was shifting inside him, searching his being for something that was no longer there, and icing over everything that was. 

The hapless teen curled in on himself, his arms wrapped tight around his body trying to ward it off. It was so _cold!_

Then, a hand was on his; small, blue, clawed-tipped, and just as cold as his own. Riku lifted his head to find the little alien-monster-thing quietly crouched in front of him. Long ears and frills were folded back, wide eyes no longer frenzied with madness, but instead gazing at him with worry and concern.

Riku furrowed his brow in confusion, and his darkness slowly receded back into dormancy. However, the small alien’s darkness—the cold sulfur and ash—did not. Carmine-red wisps were still radiating off of its fur in waves. Though, the fire looked calmer, having stilled from its constant flickering and flaring from before.

“Achi-baba?” The alien… Stitch... said. It was a cautious question, but Riku didn’t understand its words. Inquisitive, the small being tilted its head with a strange humming chirp. Then, almost reverently, it held out one of its lower arms, revealing Mickey’s star-charm cradled within. Startled, Riku quickly glanced to his own hands, both empty.

 _‘I must have dropped it.’_ He thought, looking back up.

Stitch had inched itself even closer, a clawed hand carefully reaching toward Riku’s zaffre-blue eyes. 

“Bond…Terra?”

Riku shoved himself backwards, his wrong-colored eyes widening in shock. All of a sudden, he didn’t want this thing so close to him. He smacked the hand away and Stitch flinched, the carmine-red darkness flaring back to life.

“Sorry…” It said, slowly backing away, all four of its arms clasped behind its back, ears, spines, and antennae folded flat against its head in shame. “I’m sorry.” 

Then, things became strange. The sulfur darkness… sparked. Like the fire it resembled, it crackled and popped, the sound like a bone snapping, and in response Stitch jerked, spasmed, its onyx-black eyes flashing back to that burning acid-green. 

“Oh no…” It murmured, gripping its head as its body forcibly spasmed again. The fur and frills on its back stood on end. “Not again… dangerous.” Then, like a switch had been flipped, the little monster bared its teeth in a low, threatening growl. 

Riku braced for another attack, his mind reeling on how anything could suddenly go from being so docile one moment, and then horribly dangerous the next. Darkness-possessed or not, this wasn’t normal. Surprisingly though, Stitch didn’t attack again. With a last sharp bark, it scampered off, crawling along the walls and over the roof, the glint of the King’s necklace still in its grip. 

“Wait!! What are—?” Riku launched himself into motion. Kicking off the sides of a nearby building to heave himself onto the roof as he chased after the alien and, more importantly, his Good-Luck charm. “Hey!! That is MINE!!!” 

Stitch was fast, scurrying from one rooftop to the other in the densely packed town. Riku however, kept skidding along the shingles, his armored shoes unable to find any purchase. If it weren’t for the creature’s random, pained spasms, Riku would’ve lost him in an instant. As it was, the adolescent found an opening and took it, diving headfirst right into the rabid fur-ball. As they both toppled over, Riku only just barely snared the necklace from the alien-monster’s grip, before landing hard, guard-shoulder first, on the roof. The tile gave way beneath him, and with a yelp, Riku fell through.

The free-fall was short lived though, the teenager crumpling awkwardly on a surprisingly sturdy wooden chair beneath. He had Mickey’s charm safely back in his grip, and Stitch was dangling from the roof, one of its clawed hands gripping the edge of the hole Riku had fallen through.

For a moment, it looked as though sanity had returned to it. In its wide, oval eyes, Riku saw guilt and fear. Then there came the acid-green again, a snarl, and the creature scurried right over the gaping hole in the roof and out of sight. 

“He’s been acting like that for a while.”

Riku startled, quickly righting himself on the seat that he’d landed on. An old man was sitting directly across from him; white beard, blue robes, and a pointed hat that reminded him of Master Yen Sid, but without the always dire stern-faced expression.

_~:Merlin; A great and powerful wizard. Merlin once assisted Sora in perfecting the basics of his magic. His home is often used as a meeting place for members of Radiant Garden’s Restoration Committee:~_

The bespectacled wizard was calmly sipping tea, regarding the boy with a kind gaze. Beside him sat a gentle looking woman, with large doe-like eyes and long brown hair interwoven with a pink ribbon holding it all up. 

_~:Aerith; A soft-spoken yet strong-willed soul. Aerith first met Sora as a refugee in Traverse Town, do to her home having been overrun by the Heartless. Fortunately, do to Sora’s heroic actions, her world was cleansed and the residents were able to return. Now, Aerith works alongside the Radiant Garden’s Restoration Committee as a healer:~_

Riku’s eye twitched, shaking his head from Jiminy’s increasingly annoying voice as he tried to survey the last resident of the room. Leaning on the far wall, with his arms crossed, was a tall man dressed in a faux-fur lined leather jacket. His posture was closed off, his expression carefully guarded, and he had a very deep scar cutting across his forehead and down between his eyes. 

“So you’re Riku.” The guy stated, his monotone voice proving that he was the speaker from before. “Nice of you to finally join us. Name’s Leon.”

_~:Leon; A Gunblade Wielder. His true name is Squall Leonheart—:~_

“Would you shut up already.” Riku hissed under his breath. Viciously shaking his head to dislodge the tiny voice that just Wouldn’t. Stop. Talking. 

Unfortunately, it seemed the boy wasn’t quite quiet enough.

“Wh-what!? I say, I do beg your pardon!” The wizard—Merlin—took offense, harshly setting his teacup down with a sharp clack. 

“…Sorry.” Riku huffed, his eyes shifting to the side, but the apology sounded bad even as he said it, curt and rude. Merlin seemed unimpressed, and still insulted and the other guy—Leon—raised an eyebrow at him. 

Well, at least Jiminy had stopped his incessant narrating.

A tense silence pervaded the room. Finally though, it was the woman who made the first move. She calmly stood from her chair and carefully walked over a few steps closer to the teenager.

“Pleased to meet you Riku.” She greeted, her voice calm and gentle. “I’m Aerith, and this is my good friend Merlin. He told us you would be ‘dropping in’ for tea.” She winked, then pointedly glanced to the huge hole in the ceiling, the hole that’d been coincidently right above the only empty seating in the room, the one that Riku now sat in. 

“You, knew I’d be coming… from through the roof?” He asked, baffled at the implication, and just like that the earlier tension broke.

“Heh-heh, come-come now, surly you’ve encountered stranger things, lad.” Merlin chuckled, pouring tea for his new guest. “And you brought your Wayfinder, very good!”

“Wayfinder?”

In answer, the wizard tapped a long walking-cane against the table, and sparkles of magic puffed from the tip. Suddenly, Mickey’s pendent flew from Riku’s carelessly lax grip, the boy fumbling as he reflexively tried to grab it back, before it quietly hovered over the center of the table.

“It’s the spell King Mickey enchanted into your charm dear boy, ergo, that’s what it is. But, I think I can still weave some of my own magic into it. I’ve foreseen a long journey in your future, and I think this will help in maintaining the worlds’ order.” With that the magician began mumbling a long string of latin under his breath, waving his oversized wand above the charm in tight circles.

The yellow star began glowing, absorbing the magical sparks into its glass and metal, until the wizard was finished with his spell. 

“Now then, that should do it. This here now, should help you get to where you need to go.” Merlin nodded, chuckling. “Heh, so long as you use your head, that is.” 

With a casual flick, the necklace shot back to Riku, clasping around his neck with a click of finality. Instantly did the Nobody feel the foreign magic invading his body. It was like an ominous humming vibration akin to when he came too close to an electric charge. The boy gripped at the table as the buzz ran over his skin, synchronizing with the world around it and settling into his bones. Riku almost went to rip the magic off of him, gloved fingers going so far as to even grab the pendent. 

“Now, be sure to wear that to every new world you travel to. I think you’ll find it quite useful.” 

Riku glared at the old man, who just continued to sip at his tea as though he’d done nothing wrong. The teenager was sorely tempted to throw the ‘Wayfinder’ across the room. He hadn’t consented to strange magics in his body. Eventually though, Riku let it go. He didn’t care.

Hands now empty, the boy shifted them to the steaming teacup Merlin had poured for him, deftly shooing away a sentient sugar bowl eagerly waving a spoon at him. Riku didn’t bat an eye at the clearly enchanted crockery, just watched impassively as it slowly turned away all dejected-like and sulked slowly across the table.

“What’s wrong with Stitch?” The Nobody sighed, deciding to just get on with the point. “You said he’d been like that for a while? What happened?”

“We’re not sure.” Leon pushed off of the wall, standing closer to the group. “One moment he was fine, the next he began… glitching out, I suppose you could say.”

Riku snorted. ‘Glitching out’ was defiantly one way to put it.

“We weren’t sure what triggered it.” Aerith added. “But then, we received a message from Master Yen Sid, and he told us about Sora’s fall to Darkness, and what that might mean for those connected to him.”

“Ah yes,” Merlin agreed. “When the worlds fell to Darkness, there were still those with strong hearts that managed to not fall with them, but instead of turned into Summon Gems. By connecting his Heart with theirs, Sora was able to call upon them for aid, creating a unique connection between them.”

“And Stitch was one of these gems?” Riku assumed, but Merlin shook his head.

“On the contrary, Stitch’s was a Heart that Sora connected with all on his own. Even after the worlds were restored, and the Summon Gems vanished, he still retained his abilities as a power that was unique solely to him. Truly impressive, I must say.”

“But now its backfiring.” Leon declared. “As a Heartless, everyone with a direct connection to Sora’s Heart is now vulnerable to that Darkness. Stitch is proof.” 

“Still,” Aerith interjected. “Are we sure that is the only reason?”

“There’s nothing else it could be.” Leon dismissed. “We need to restore Stitch’s Light, once we do, his condition will stabilize, I’m certain of it.”

“Hmm… okay then.” Aerith didn’t sound so sure, but before Riku could ask, a sharp ringtone cut through the air. Quickly, Leon pulled out a, frankly, rather ostentatious and weird-looking red cellphone.

“Let’s go then.” The gunner declared after a quick scan of the screen. “Yuffie and Sid are corralling him as we speak. Now that Riku’s here, we’ve no more time to waste.” 

“Wait,” Riku objected, swiveling around in his chair. “Was that what you guys were all doing? Sitting around drinking tea, just waiting for me to ‘drop in’ so I can solve everything for you? Don’t you have a plan?”

“Master Yen Sid sent you here to balance out Stitch’s Light, didn’t he?” Leon countered, crossing his arms. “Are you saying he was wrong to place his faith in you?”

Riku narrowed his eyes. Just who did this guy think he was?

“And what do you expect me to do, exactly? Beat the feral fur-ball upside the head with a stick? You think that will just ‘knock some sense’ into him and it’ll be all hunky-dory?”

“If that’s your plan, then I think I saw just the thing for you.” Leon deadpanned, in that condescendingly calm tone of his. Heading toward one of the many piles of organized clutter along the edge of the room, the man yanked forward what looked like a bin full of brooms. 

‘He’s got to be joking.’ Riku mentally sneered. Was he expected to fight with what, a mop?

However, it was neither a broom or mop that Leon grabbed, even as one such broom spontaneously came to life and smacked at him to go away. The stoic gunner steadily ignored the living object and instead pulled out what looked to be a beat-up old wooden sword… in the shape of a Keyblade.

“Here.” The gunner quipped, tossing the wooden key to Riku, who caught it automatically. Before the kid could even glare back though, the patronizing adult had left, expecting him to follow.

Riku was left to seethe at the toy instead. It was old—really old—the wood had been worn smooth with use, and the poor thing looked to have been busted in half at some point. Wood-glue and twine fused the pieces tightly back together, someone having taken painstaking care to restore it.

_‘Here, go play Hero with this.’_

Riku bared his teeth. Leon expected him to fight with this? 

The teenager was half-tempted to stay right where he was, take his time finishing his stupid tea, just to spite the guy. With a resigned sigh however, the teen lugged himself to his feet.

Abruptly, the boy’s vision began to tilt and sway behind his eyes. Dark fuzzy splotches blurred into his sight, and his peripherals dimmed and narrowed.

“Hey…” A soft voice asked, Riku could barely here it. “Are you okay?” 

Aerith, it was Aerith’s voice. She was leaning over, to peer up at the younger boy with her large, doe-like emerald-green eyes full of concern. 

“Thanks for the tea.” Riku brushed her off, his words once again curt and clipped without his meaning them to be, but he was fine. Aerith didn’t stop him, and Merlin waved him off in dismissal.

“Anytime lad. Now, you two best be off now.”

_~:Merlin made his debut on screen in The Sword in the Stone, 1963:~_

Rolling his eyes, Riku ignored both the cricket and the strange dizziness, and headed out with Aerith. 

The pair followed Leon through the general disrepair of the city. Evidence of the reconstruction work was everywhere, large cranes and pulleys and workers going about their jobs. Kids were being shooed away by busy adults and moogles were zipping to and fro trying to sell their wares in the busy market. Every so often, a computerized shaft of light would bloop into existence, scanning the surroundings and determining that all was well before disappearing again.

Beyond all the hustle and bustle, loomed the castle, broken yet faithfully watching over the town still. 

_****_

_‘So you’ve finally made it. About time. I’ve been waiting for you.’_

_Pristine white walls, floods of cascading water rushed from all around, and black magic held it all together. Two young boys stood amongst the crumbled streets. One fought to save a friend, and the other just stood to get in his way_

_‘we’ve always been rivals, haven’t we?’_

_****_

A group of small children suddenly rushed past, screaming and laughing as they chased a runaway skateboard, and the teen had to blink back to the present. Things had defiantly changed from the last time he’d been here.

“Heeeyyy!!! LEON!” 

Riku looked up. From the rooftops waved a young girl with short black hair. 

“We’ve cornered him in the study! Hurry!” She yelled, then promptly turned around and jumped away. 

Following the teenage girl’s herald, Leon, Riku, and Aerith changed course, and headed for the castle offices. Once there, they found it to be a disaster zone. Books had been ripped to shreds, their pages along with shattered glass littering everywhere. The desk was overturned and Ansem’s hand-painted self portrait had been knocked down and clawed right through the face. 

“Over here!” Called the girl again, and Riku hastily stepped back. He could’ve sworn she wasn’t there a moment ago, yet there she was, appearing from out of nowhere. How anyone so loud could also be so silent was beyond his understanding. Anyway, she beckoned them over to what looked like a wall that had opened up into a secret hallway.

Sure enough, there they found the rabid Stitch, practically foaming at the mouth. The small creature was completely surrounded by dozens of beams of digitized light, the automated defense mechanisms constantly shooting up from the floor. Any other openings were hastily blocked by the sharp end of a spear. 

“Took you-all long enough! What were you doing? Having tea!?” Griped a blond man, frowning around a very long toothpick in his mouth as he whacked the snarling Stitch back into the circlet of zapping lights. “This here lil scamp keeps trashing the joint, an this ain’t gonna hold him back for long. Hope you all got a plan cause he’s gone completely off his rocker, and at this rate he’ll hurt himself.” 

“Oh dear.” Aerith gasped. 

“You’re up Riku.” Leon said, unceremoniously shoving the boy forward. 

Almost immediately the bleeping lights made room for him, encircling the boy in a virtual arena with the Darkness-possessed alien. Riku instinctively dropped into his fighting stance, lifting the wooden key level with his eyes and his other hand outstretched in front of him. It didn’t really help much, as the teenager immediately had to dodge a thrown electrical panel. The pint-sized fur-ball had ripped it out of the floor and threw it at him! 

“Hey!” The blond man yelled. “Git away from the computer, ya varmint!” 

Stitch ignored him of course, even as the man swiped his spear at it. The blue alien just growled low and ripped yet another panel off. Wires sparked and fizzed, electricity jumping at the alien’s fur. With a yelp the creature jumped away, and Riku took the opening. 

_Smack!_

One hit and the little monster went flying, straight into a computerized light where it then screeched as it was relentlessly zapped. The wooden key however, had ominously creaked from the abuse. 

_‘That didn’t sound good.’_ Riku thought, glancing at the toy. He was at a complete loss, what was he expected to do? He had no access to the power of Light, no real Keyblade, he couldn’t even stand to touch anyone.

Riku was desperate, no Light, no Keyblade, no power! What did a Nobody even have left?

“AGGABA!!” Stitch screamed, thrashing in a frenzy of claws and teeth to rid the zapping lights. Smoke fumed off of electrified fur, the injuries bad enough that Aerith covered her mouth in horror. The small creature’s eyes glowed that burning acid-green from before, and the carmine-red darkness flared thicker. 

…and Riku felt his Darkness respond. 

Darkness. That’s what he had—what he’s always had—and if he had to fight Darkness with Darkness... well, it wouldn’t be the first time.

The Nobody didn’t hesitate anymore. He forced himself to reach inward, not to his missing Heart this time, but to tap into that freezing power. Darkness, His Darkness, manifested from between his fingers. Black-Violet wisps rose from his skin, covering him like a cloak. Riku gave in to it—commanded it—letting the cold travel through him. His muscles tensed, his teeth grit to keep from chattering, and the Darkness swelled.

It traveled from his empty core, up his arm. The wisps wrapped around the old wood of the toy sword, condensing around it till it was nothing more than a mass of black bog.

_**~:In your hand take this key. So long as you have the makings, then through this simple act of taking…:~** _

Then there was a flash, and the weight in his hand changed.

_**~:—its wielder you shall one day be:~**_

Riku struck.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> To be continued...!!
> 
> ****
> 
> Tantalog; Stitch’s native language, and its translations according to Wikipedia, 
> 
> feeboogoo - bring it on  
> achi-baba - friend  
> Aggaba - stop
> 
> ****
> 
> Now here’s a bit of fun insight behind the chapter. ~Know that the following may contain future plot spoilers.~
> 
> Okay, so first up is Riku’s very first companion introduction, Jiminy Cricket!! Now in the games I always felt like the bug should’ve have a more active roll, as he would spontaneously show up for plot conveniences, and not much else. So while pondering, I eventually got to thinking the age old question of, ‘Where did Jiminy go, that he never got squashed by all of Sora’s shenanigans?’ Heck in KH3 even, when everyone else was swallowed by darkness and Sora left completely alone, Jiminy just so happened to still be there? Like, how? 
> 
> It’s never explained, but the only logical conclusion is that Jiminy can travel into a person’s mind! There, done, it makes perfect sense. The Blue Fairy not only gave him a shiny badge, but turned him into a literal Conscience; the little voice in the back of your mind that tells you right from wrong. 
> 
> Another tidbit that I though was funny, was when reading Jiminy’s Journal during the games. Jiminy just somehow already knew a lot of information that’s never actually gathered during the games. And the screen debuts tagged at the end of the character archives? Yea, they canonically make no sense. I just imagine Sora reading them and being all like ‘What?’ So that’s totally going to be a running gag throughout this fic. 
> 
> Second up is Stitch. Clearly, this chain of events doesn’t follow the plot of ‘Lilo and Stitch’. In game, we last saw Stitch in Radiant Garden fighting off Heartless, and before that he had jettisoned into space while accidentally leaving Ventus in the dust. That’s a ten-year time gap, and regardless, Stitch had already learned the importance of friendship and bonds, so introducing Lilo would’ve been redundant. 
> 
> So instead, this fic parallels the sequel, ‘Lilo and Stitch 2, Stitch Has a Glitch’ where it’s revealed that Stitch‘s molecules weren’t fully charged before being confiscated by the police, and he has thus become unstable. Add in the Darkness reacting to his pain and fear, and viola! Stitch-Glitch Kingdom Hearts style!
> 
> One more thing I wanted to mention was a little cultural background I discovered during my research of the Wayfinders. In Kingdom Hearts, Kairi is the one who originally made the Shell-Star and called it a Good-Luck charm, and so we’re led to believe it’s just a Kairi thing. However, in Birth by Sleep, Aqua mentions that making star-charms are _believed_ to bring good luck, implying that this is a _cultural_ thing, not just a Kairi thing. Fast forward to Chain of Memories, when Naminé altered the Shell-Charm with her magic, she still kept it star-shaped, and Sora still greatly treasured it as a Good-Luck charm, even though he still didn’t quite know who Naminé was at that time. 
> 
> So this makes me think, ‘giving and receiving star-shaped Good-Luck charms is a really big deal.’ Riku, having been born and raised in this same culture, would also think of Mickey’s Good-Luck charm as a BIG deal. Interesting right? That’s just a little bit of reasoning as to why he’d value it so much, and become offended at Merlin fiddling with it. 
> 
> Anyway, that’s just about all the vague plot points covered in this here _second_ chapter. I hope you all are still enjoying the story, as I put a lot of effort into it for that specific purpose.
> 
> Up next; Riku finds himself having to deal with the consequences of his actions in the present, while also dealing with the ghosts of his past, and hopefully do so before his exhaustion finally catches up with him.


End file.
